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Free Spirit

mssinglemama — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 02:32:18 +0000

When I met Sheila we were at a single moms play date in Los Angeles.

She was soft-spoken, understanding and gentle.

I had no idea she had it in her to leave her unrewarding and negative work environment to break out on her own. To blog about beauty, to create her own jewelry and to pave her own path.

But she did.

She took a leap of faith and as we speak she is looking for that faith to kick in.

If you need a blog writer, a photographer or a social media consultant – contact Sheila. See her work here. Or, if you want to support her do one even better and buy a piece of her jewelry on Etsy (each piece ranges between the $10.00 and $20.00 range).

As a thank you, if you e-mail me a copy of the receipt for your purchase on Sheila’s Etsy site I will send you a free copy of my eBook, Ms. Single Mama Uncensored.

Because us single mamas have to stick together… without each other, where would we be?

Whispers

mssinglemama — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:44:28 +0000

My Secrets are Out…

Ms. Single Mama Uncensored: Dating, Sex and Love is here. But first a few words from my delirious haze. I am hoping they make sense…

Before I started writing this blog the whispers in my head, the words of strength from outside of myself were hard to come by. I only knew one or two fellow single moms and living at my mother’s for one year did a number on my social life. I was alone, utterly alone and it was uncomfortable.

I tried to find inspiration in other single mom books and while they were insightful on many levels, all fell short for me. I craved real, honest advice about dating and love. I didn’t know it then but I would soon fill that void myself and also become a voice for single mothers everywhere by shouting from the my little mountaintop: we are beautiful, we are strong and we are sexy as hell. And while this shit ain’t easy we don’t need a man to rescue us, we need to rescue ourselves.

I am not sure where those words came from. They started, I believe, as whispers in my own head or more like echoes. And then you all showed up. Your words and your thoughts inspired me to keep writing, to keep sharing my stories and your words, in turn, became the whispers in my head.

The most common e-mails I receive are from new single moms who have happened upon my site. Sometimes these e-mails come months after they’ve been here, others come after just a few days but they all say one thing, “You have changed how I see myself, you have helped me to become proud to be a single mother.” And then they always add, “And I’ve been searching through all of your archives, devouring each one and trying to find out more!”

I used to have the time to write each one back with a long, personal e-mail linking to old blog posts I knew would help them but now, there are so many, too many to answer and I hate that. I remember how I felt then, wanting someone to just tell me like it was – to lay it down straight. This eBook is for each and every one of you, for being here for so long and to those of you who are just joining us.

And from now on instead of hours of archive searching, all of my readers will now have my eBook, Ms. Single mama Uncensored: Dating, Sex & Love. New readers will use it catch up on everything they’ve missed. And for my long-time readers… this book, you’ll find, ties everything you read here together. There are so many stories I have kept from you – some because I just hadn’t gotten around to writing them and others because I just wasn’t ready.

But now here they are.

Enjoy.

The stories behind the blog.

Need to catch up on what you’ve missed? Or want to know the secrets and stories behind the blog?

Download your copy of Ms. Single Mama Uncensored: Dating, Sex and Love for $14.95 and find out:

How Ms. Single Mama and her ex-husband met and fell in love
More about the allusive Biker, my first single mom romance
Read the story about my first single mom crush
What really happened with Mr. Man
Why my fling with Cabin Man was so short lived
Details on how to have a happy and healthy sex life as a single mom along with tips on dating including touchy issues like when to tell him about your single mom status and when to introduce him to the kids.

Click here to preview the first 10 pages or skip ahead and just buy the eBook.

Details: Ms. Single Mama Uncensored: Dating, Sex and Love, 120 pages, PDF form. Click the add to cart button to purchase with any major credit card.

Blogger Affiliate Program – make money in your sleep

Become a Ms. Single Mama Uncensored affiliate and you’ll earn 30% back for every copy of the eBook you sell. Simply place banners and code on your website or blog and every time someone clicks that banner and purchases a copy of Ms. Single Mama Uncensored you’ll receive 30% back that’s about $4.95 a copy. It’s SO easy. Click here to set up your affiliate account.

P.S. The reviews are already coming in - the first is from Amanda at Stack of Spines, “The eBook reads like a girlfriend sitting across from you having cocktails and gushing her hopes, dreams, fears, and heartaches.” Read her entire review here.

and if you’re a blogger, make 30% back for every copy you sell! Read about my super exciting affiliate program here.<— Find badges here too!

Special Thanks:

To John. The irony of this book for single mamas is that I’m not sure it would be here without him… he has been working right alongside me either by watching Benjamin, making me dinner or by designing all of the beautiful banners you see on the site. He’s also been putting up with my sleep deprived, cranky self for over one month now, which is no easy feat – believe me. I adore him for that and am proud to say this book has actually brought us even closer together. Reading it for the first time just yesterday, John told me when he was finished, “I can see now how all of these experiences you had needed to happen before we met.”

And the biggest thanks goes to the true hero of every story I write… my Benjamin.

Congratulations to the Winners:

The Ms. Single Mama Uncensored winners are –

Alexis
Rebecca M.
Ashlea
@BobbiJanay
@NancyJane17

[You have all been e-mailed with your special code for your free copy. Congratulations and thanks to everyone who entered!]

And we’re off…

mssinglemama — Wed, 13 May 2009 10:50:36 +0000

On another adventure.

Benjamin and I are flying out this morning to see these two trouble makers.

Kristin, who writes the stirring blog Better Now, and her son Nolan are waiting for us in Vancouver. I’m not sure what Kristin has planned but yesterday I got an e-mail about a zip line over a canyon and was told to bring a little dress (not for the Canyon but for our night out).

I hate leaving you all hanging about the Bear but I promise this one is worth the wait. He’s not shy. He also understands this blog and says it’s one of the main reasons he digs me so much. He can appreciate the blood, sweat and tears I’ve poured into this little corner of the blogosphere.

What does this mean for you? It means you’ll be meeting the Bear via video (yes, video) and you’ll also be enjoying new features on my blog like that photo gallery there to the right. He set it up for me. Gotta love the nerds.

The necklace is on the way. I should have it in my hands when I get back on Tuesday. Prepare to be stunned.

Your Turn…

Go give this guy a virtual hug.

mssinglemama — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 02:21:25 +0000

Jim, Depot Dad, is recovering from major surgery to treat his skin cancer.

He needs all of the well wishes he can get. If you don’t know Jim, he’s a single father of two beautiful children out in California and a very dear friend.

Here’s the video of Jim, Morgan and I in San Francisco. We shot this just a few months before he found out.

»Go give him your hugs here.

Some favors…

mssinglemama — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:42:25 +0000

Save the date for this!

And, I believe, you’ll be able to call in!

In addition to yours truly you’ll hear from Matt Logelin, O Solo Mama and Sassafrass Jess. It’s all thanks to SingleMindedWomen.com and Rachelle Chase, the host of SMW BlogTalkRadio.

Click here to listen to Rachelle’s interview with John Gray, author of Men are From Mars Women are From Venus. Interesting and very scary stuff. He details 12 ways women and men unknowingly create arguments, why women turn men off and why men suddenly “go cold” toward a relationship.

If you love me…

I know it’s kind of annoying (you have to register and everything) – but if you like this blog review it on Blogged.com. It would help boost my blog up in the rankings… shameless self-promotion, I know.

And, for the last time, when was your last date?

I’m loving my first little poll.

It was a dead heat between those of us who went on our last date 1-2 weeks ago and those who went on a date over 1 year ago! Now the 1-2 weekers are edging ahead. SO before I close the poll let me know when you had your last date. This is important single parent research people. And it’s fun!

The Best of the Single Parent Blogosphere

mssinglemama — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:55:15 +0000

I have been completely overwhelmed lately.

Work. Jet lag recovery. Work. Benjamin. Sleep. Work. It’s left me little time to read my favorite blogs in the single parent blogosphere. Hopefully things will calm down soon and I’ll have more time to surf. Until then, please, please … leave me the links to your favorite posts (written or read) and include a brief description if you can.

Remember: Shameless self-promotion is STRONGLY encouraged.

iHeart Single Parents on Fox!

mssinglemama — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:34:01 +0000

Clare, the co-founder of iHeart Single Parents, made an appearance on Fox’s Morning Show this week.

Click here to watch Clare’s interview.

I’m so excited that iHeartSingleParents.com is finally getting the attention it deserves.

Morning Show hosts Mike and Juliet say, at the start of this piece, that 40% of new mothers in the U.S. are unmarried and of those the fastest growing group is women in their late 20′s. Not sure where they got that statistic (and it is Fox) but could that be true? Forty percent!

Mike and Juliet also ask Clare if she would recommend that other women choose to be a single mom. In her blog post, Clare says they sprung these questions on her – “They didn’t ask the questions that the producer and I practiced on at all.”

I can’t speak for Clare but being a single mother is seldom a choice for any of us. It’s something that happens. We choose to go on as single moms… but we certainly didn’t choose this path? Or did we? I chose to leave my husband. Does that mean I chose to be a single mom? I’ve written about this here.

Food for thought. And evidence that talk show hosts will always go for the controversial chord of any conversation.

Regardless, Clare did a fantastic job representing! And if you haven’t been over to iHeart lately, get over there because there are nearly 1,000 members now… and as Clare says in this interview, having a single parent social network to turn to really makes you feel less alone.

[Photo: Clare and her 2-year-old son, Colby]

P.S. Proves my point that Single Moms are on Fire!

The Best of the Single Parent Blogosphere

mssinglemama — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:18:49 +0000

Because we’re single parents and we don’t have time to read a million blogs every week I use this post to highlight my favorites and let you highlight yours … DON’T BE SHY. Shameless self-promotion is strongly encouraged.

This week’s personal favorites:

Incredulous Relief – Kristin (Better Now)

The relief? Because she’s alive. You’ll be biting your nails in fear when you read Kristen’s two posts about a romantic vacation gone bad, very bad… damn men. Sorry. I promise I’m not a man-hater. This week has just been filled with shocking stories like this one.

It takes longer to un-do a marriage than it does to grow a human being – Sassafrass

This week I discovered Sassafrass, a sassy single mama in Chicago. Check out her post reflecting on her divorce which is now finally, final (we all know how that feels) and her four-year-old son’s quick adaptation to their new life.

I have been busier than usual this week, so please – leave me links to your best post…

Oh! And he’s not a single parent – but our favorite commenter, Jon B., needs some advice from us on his relationship with a single mom. Help him out here.

The Best of the Single Parent Blogosphere

mssinglemama — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:43:44 +0000

Better late than never. You know the drill, but if not…

Because we’re single parents and we don’t have time to read a million blogs every week I use this post every week to highlight my favorites and let you highlight yours … DON’T BE SHY. Shameless self-promotion is strongly encouraged.

My personal favorites this week

MommyPie & BlogHerNot – Mommy Pie

MommyPie orchestrated a BlogHer mutiny with BlogHerNot, a virtual conference for all of us who couldn’t make it to the real thing. Turns out BlogHerNot was the talk of the town at BlogHer. Go MommyPie, as always, you and your Doogs continue to rock my blogosphere world.

Single and Loving It – Too Much? - Katherine

She’s single and she loves it – but what about marriage? Awesome post. I know I can totally relate.

Single Dad. Hold Your Applause – The Resolve Note

In which Jonathan gets personal, which he rarely does, about women’s reactions to his single dad status.

I love to feel loved - Momma Cum Laude

She’s in college, raising her newborn with the help of her parents, the father is physically absent (military) but absent emotionally as well. She’s such a strong young woman and you should read this post.

Now it’s your turn – leave your links…

The ultimate single dad.

mssinglemama — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 02:41:20 +0000

Meet Matt Logelin.

He’s a single father because the love of his life, his wife, died after giving birth to their stunning daughter.

I was going to post something about my love issues tonight but after reading Matt’s blog that just seems utterly ridiculous. Prepare to be incredibly inspired, to laugh, to cry and to become instantly hooked.

Start here.

[Thanks to Chrissy at Glamour for introducing me and thousands of others to Matt]